Air shotgun



W. PAUL AIR SHOTGUR Sept. 2 1924.

Filed Peb. 9', 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "inl Spb 2, 1924.

2 ShOets-Sheet 2 ;f will W PAUL In sHoTGUn www vaf P61212 Patented Sept.2, 1924.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM PAUL. or BEECHER, rLLrNols,

AIR SHOTGUN.

Application filed February 9, 1924. Serial No. 691,618.

T 0 all inkomy t muy concern.'

Be it known that I, VVILLiAM PAUL, a citizen of the Unite-d States, anda resident of the viliage ci Beecher, in the county of lill and 'Stateof illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an AirShotgun; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact de scription of the same, reference being had to theaccoinpanyingl drawings and to the numerals of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention covers improvements in an air shot gun, adapted forfiring bullets or other projectiles, by the force of compressed air andfurthermore, adapted to fire a plurality of bullets in consecutive orderoy `compressed air vfrom a compressed air chamber, without requiringrecharging of the chamber after the firing oit each shot.

It is an object of this invention to provide an air shot gun of thebreech loading type wherein shot is adapted to he fired from a shellpositioned in the inner end of the barrel by means of a predetermineddischarge of compressed air from a compression chamber of a capacitysuflicient to permit a number of consecutive shots to be iired from acompressed 'air chamber having an air outlet control valve mechanismoperable by a trigger controlled spring actuated operating rod.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an air shot gun whereinthe trigger fcoac-ts directly1 with a spring controlled operating rodwhich when released by the trig ger is adapted to operate a springlcontrolled air release valve governing mechanism which permits of only apredetermined discharge of air from a compression chamber.

It is a further object of lthe invent-ion to provide an air shot Agunwherein the trigger (io-acting directly with a spring controlledoperating rod, is adapted to be set after the tiring of each shot,without disturbing the air release control valve mechanism.

'It is furthermore an object of this inven` tion to construct an airshot gun wherein the air release valve mechanism is provided `with afulcrumed lever having increased leverage to permit of ready opening ofthe air outlet Valve against the high pressure within an air compressionchamber.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air shot gun wherein anair release valve is adapted to close automatically after a triggeroperation so that only a predetermined quantity of compressed air willbe discharged from a compressed air chamber each time a shot is lired.

It is an important object ot the invention to provide an air shot gunoi' siinpiilied and inexpensive construction wherein the valvecontrolling the discharge opening' orp the compressed air chamberadapted to automatically close after euch operation of the triggerwithout interference by the valve operating mechanism which is springcontrolled and slidable in an extension ol' the `gun stock for directco-action with the notched end of sai-d trigger which serves to holdsaid valve operating mech-.mism in release position.

Other and further important objects or" this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

The invention (in a preferred forni) is illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter more fully described` On the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of an air shot gun embodyingl theprinciples of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the gun with partsshown in elevation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged si. e elevation of the barrel end of the gunshowing the operation of the barrel in dotted lines.

Figure L is an enlarged transverse section teken on line lL-i of FigureFigure 5 is an enlarged detailed tudinal section of the air casing.

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on line 6-'{S of Figure 5.

Figure is a transverse section taken on line 7-7 of Figure 5.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 indicates a gun Stock having integrally formedthereon a stock Vextension or arm 2 connected to said stock by anintegral breech section 3. The breech arm 2 is provided with alongitudinal groove or passage 4 the inner end of which communicateswith a recess 5 formed within the breech section 3. A second re cess 6is provided in the breech section 3 and communicates with the recess 5.Pivoted in the recess 6 is a trigger one end of which projects from therecess 6 and is protected by means of a trigger guard 8. The inner endlongiof the trigger i' has a dog or tooth 9 inte grally formed thereon.l coiled spring l() is seated in the recess 6 and engages against thetrigger to hold the trigger cocked and the toothed end 9 thereof incontact with a slidable operating rod 11. The rod 11 is slidable in thegroove 4 and projects into the recess and has a tooth l2 formed thereonto co-act with the trigger tooth 9. The rod l1 has formed thereon afinger or projection 13. A head or finger piece 14 is integrally formedon the outer end of the rod 11. Coiled around the rod 11 is a controlspring 15 one end of which is secured to the rod while the other endbears against a guide lug 16 through which the rod slidably projects.

Resting on the stock extension 2 and secured thereto by means of a screw17 is a cylindrical casing or compressed air tube 18. The inner end ofthe casing 18 is closed by a flanged plug 19 held in place by aretaining pin 20. The plug 19 has a claw or tooth 2l formed thereonwhich projects through an aperture in a metal plate 22 secured againstthe breech section 3 by screws 23.

Projecting into the casing 18 is an air pump shell or tube 24, the innerend of which seats in a recess in the plug 19. A slot 25 is provided inthe inner end portion of the pump tube 24. A valve seat 26 is secured inthe air pump tube 24 by a re-` taining sleeve or collar 27. A passage 28is provided in the valve seat 26. A valve 29 is normally held againstthe pump valve seat 26 by means of a coiled spring 30. The spring 30 hasone end engaged around a pin on the valve 29 and the other end enga edagainst a disk 31 secured on one end of a control rod or pin 32 which isslidable through the plug 19. The slidable rod 32 has a second disk orring member 33 secured thereon within the pump tube 24. A slot 34 isprovided in the slidable rod 32 between the disks or rings 31 and 33. Apump piston or plunger 35 is provided in the pump tube 24 and hasattached'thereto a pump piston rod 36 operable by a handle 37 to causeair to be pumped through the valve passage 28 thereby openin the valve29 to permit air to be pumped through the slot 25 into the aircompression chamber of the casing 18.

Secured on the pump tube 24 are brackets or holders 38 in which a barrel39 is slidably mounted. A guide rib 40 is formed longitudinally alongthe under portion of the barrel 39 and stops short of the inner end ofthe barrel adjacent the outer end of a. sleeve 41 fixed Within thecasing 18. The rib 40 is provided with a notch to receive the free endof a plate spring 42 to hold the barrel in place. The sprinr 42 ismounted upon the pump tube 24. The outer end of the barrel 39 isprovided with a sight piece 43. The inner end of the barrel 39 is reamedout to afford a bullet recess 44.

A valve seat member 45 is secured Within the inner end of the sleeve 41.An air release valve 46 is held against the valve seat 45 to prevent theescape ot the compressed air from the casing 18. The vulve 46 is securedto a slidable rod or stem 4T against a valve block 48 which is alsofixed on said rod. A spring 49 on the valve stem 47 holds the valve 46in closed position. The spring 49 is positioned between the valve block48 and a bracket 50 fixed on the plug 19. The stem 47 is slidablethrough the bracket 50 and slides into a guide recess 51 in the plug 19.A slot 52 is provided in the valve stem 47 adjacent a ring or flange 53.A stud 54 is fixed in the plug 19 and projects into the air chamber ofthe casing 18. Pivoted to the stud 54 intermediate its ends is a valvecontrol lever 55. The lever 55 is mounted with a longer lower endprojecting through the pump tube slot 25 and through the opening 34 inthe slidable control rod 32. The upper or shorter end of the lever 55projects through the opening 52 in the slidable valve stem 47. The leverco-acts with the plates or rings 33 and 53 on the rod 32 and stem 47respectively, thereby affording substantially a tvvo-to-one leverage sothat the air release control valve 46 may be realily opened When thepush rod 32 is actu ate The operation is as follows:

Air is pumped into the air casing 18 by operating the air pump piston 35by means of the pump rod 36. The air pumped by the air pump opens thevalve 29 and then enters the compressed air chamber of lthe casing 18,through the slot 25. Air is pumped until the desired pressure isreached. The spring 49 acts to hold the air release valve 46 in itsclosed position, thereby preventing escape of the air and also acting tohold the lever 55 positioned as illustrated in Figure 5 with the pushrod 32 projected rearwardly throucgh the plug 19 in position to be0perate when the trigger is pulled.

The gun is loaded with a shot-loaded bullet by simply pressing down thespring 42 and pulling the rear end of the barrel 39 out of the sleeve 41into the dotted line position of Figure 3. The bullet is then put intoplace in the barrel recess 44 and the barrel 39 is pushed back intoplace.. When the barrel 39 is pushed back into position the spring 42engages in the notch in the guide rib 40 to hold the barrel locked inlace.

To lock the operating rod 1,1 in release position it is only necessaryto push the rod 11 inwardly against the action of the spring 15 untilthe toothed end 9 of the trigger registers with the tooth 12 on the rod11.

' View@ The opring 1Y0 acts to hold the toothed end 9 of the trigger incontact with the tooth 12 and furthermore is a mns forholding thetrigger 7 properly cool-:ed ready ltor operation.

tVhen the trigger 7 is pulled the toothed end :9 thereof is svung out ofengagement lwith the tooth i2" thereby causing release of the operatingrod 1i. The compressed spring 15 then acts to slide the operating rod l1outwardly bringing the upturned finger i3 into contact with the end ofthe valve control rod 32. The rod '32 is Vthus forced forwardly againstthe action of the spring 30 and at the same time the disk 33 ects on thelower end of the pivoted lever 55 t0 swing the same about its pivot sothat the upper end of the lever acting against lthe dish 53 will act topull Ithe valve stem 47 rearwardly thereby opening the release valve i6against the action of the spring 49. A predetermined quantity oitcompressed nir from the air casing 18 is thus Vdischarged einst thebullet in thebttrrelBS. 'Bhe 'loafd `o shot in the bullet is thus firedthrough the barrel 39 of vthe gun.

When the trigger 7 is operated, the operati rod 11 rebounds into aposition wherein the iino'er 13 is out of contact with the control roof32. The spring 49 is thus permitted to act automatically to `close thevalve 46 almost immediately after the pulling of :the trigger. It willthus be noted that only a predetermined quantity of compressed air isdischarged from the compressed air chambers each time the trigger isoperated. By this arrangement a. `plurality of shots may be YtiredWithout requiring repnmping of air into the casing 18 after the firingof each shot.

I am aware that numerous details of con` struction may be variedthrougha Wide range Without departing from the principles of thisinvention and I therefore doV not purpose limiting the patent grantedVl'iereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

l. An air shot gun comprising a stock, an air casing mounted thereon, anair pump connected with the casing for pumping air into the casing; asleeve fixed in said casing. a control valve closing the inner end ofsaid sleeve, a barrel removably engaged in said sleeve for carrying abullet to be fired, a slotted valve stem connected with the controlvalve., a spring engaged around the valve stem for holding the controlvalve in closed position, a slotted slidable rod projecting through theend of said casing, a lever pivoted in the casing and projectin throughthe slotted valve stem and throng the slotted slidable rod, a spring insaid casing between the air pump and said slotted slidable rod, a triger in said stock, a spring controlled slidab e member in the stock fordirect coythe slotted sldable rod when the trigger is pulled to releasethe slicleble member and clause the projection to aotuate the Ypivolteidlever to open the control valve.

2. In an air shot gun, the combination with a stock, of an air casingthereon. means for pump-ing air thereinto. a valve for controiling thedischarge of air from said casing, a. spring for holding said valse inclosed position, ay lever pivoted in said casing 'for actuating saidvalve, a rod connected with the Vlever and projecting from the casing, aspring controlled trigger in the stock, and a rod actuating memberco-acting directly with the trigger and adapted when the trigger ispulled to operate said rod and lever to cause temporary opening of thevalve to permit only a predetermined quantity of air to be dischargedfrom the casing.

' 3. In an air shot gun, the combination with a stock, of anair pumpconnected with the casing for pumping air yiliereinto, al barrelremovably projecting into the casing for carrying a bullet. a valve forcontrolling the discharge of air from the casing into the barrel, avalve stem connected with the valve, a spring for holding the valve inclosed position, a rod slidahly projecting ,from the casing, a springbetween the pump und said rod, a lever pivoted in said casing andengaged with said rod and with seid vave stem, a trigger in said stock,n spring for holding the trigger cocked, and a spring controlledoperating mechanism adapted to be held in a release position by saidtrigger and adapted when the trigger is pulled to ectuate, the rod, saidlever and the valve stem to momentarily open thc valve.

4. In an air shot gunthe combination with n stock, a casing nionntedthereon, o pump for pumping air into the casing. a sleeve iixed in thecasing. a vulve controlling the discharge of ,air from the casing intothe sleeve. No

Va barrel projecting into said sleeve adapted to carry a bullet to befired by compressed air entering seid sleeve when the valve is opened, aspring in the casing for holding the valve closed` a slotted valve stemconnected with the valve` a disk on said valve stem, a slotted memberprojecting from the casing` a disk thereon Within the casing7 a levermounted in said casing and projecting through the slotted valve stem andthrough the slotted member and contacting said disks, n spring betweenthe pump and said slotted member to hold the slotted member projectedand the pump closed. a spring controlled operating rod slidable in thestock and formed with a linger for actuating the slotted rod` a triggerpivoted in the stock.l and a spring for holding the trigger cocked tohold the operating rod in release position.

5. In an air shot gun the combination with a stock, of an air casingmounted thereon, :i valve for controlling the escape of air from thecasing, a lever pivoted in the casing for controlling the operation otsaid valve, a rod slidable in said casing for operating the lever, anoperating member for said rod slidably projecting into said stock, aspring for operating the same, a trigger pivoted in the stock, and aspring for holding the trigger cocked and in engagement with saidoperating member to hold the same in a release position.

6. In an air shot gun the combination withl a stock, of a rod slidablyprojecting into the stock, a spring in said stock for holding the rodprojected from the stock, a compressed air casing on the stock, a valvetherein controlling the escape of air therefrom, a valve operatingmechanism in the casing having a member projecting into the stock in thefield of operation of said rod, and a spring controlled trigger in saidstock adapted to engage and hold the rod in a release position out ofoperating engagement with the member forming a part of said valveoperating mechanism.

7. In an air shot gun, the combination with a stock and an air easing,of a valve in said casing for controlling the escape ot air therefrom, aresilient member for holding the valve closed, a valve operatingmechanism in the casing and projecting therefrom, a spring controlledtrigger in said stock, an operating member in said stock adapted to beheld in release position by said trigger, and means for automaticallyactuating the operating members when the trigger is pulled to cause theoperating member to operate the Valve operating mechanism to open thevalve.

8. In an air shot gun the combination with a compressed air casing.means for pumping air therein, a barrel projecting into the casing, aValve in the casing controlling the entrance of air into the barrel fromsaid casing, a stem connected to said Valve, a rod slidably projectingfrom said casing, a stock supporting said casing, disks on said stem androd, a lever pivoted in said casing for co-action with said disks, aspring controlled member in said stock for operating said rod to causeopening of the valve, and a trigger in said stock for holding the springcontrolled member in an inoperative position.

9. In a shot gun the combination with a stock, of a compressed aircasing supportedY thereon, an air pump tube and a barrel projecting intothe casing, a control valve for the barrel, a Valve for the pump tube,springs for holding the barrel control valve and the pump valve closed,a pair of rods slidable in the casing with one of said rods projectinginto said stock, a member pivoted in said casing co-acting with saidrods, and means in the stock adapted to operate the projecting rod tocause opening of the barrel valve.

10. In an air shot gun a stock, a compressed air casing supportedthereon, a bar rel projecting into the casing, a valve for closing theinner end of the barrel, a sta tionary bracket secured in the casing, avalve stem connected with the valve and having sliding engagement Withsaid bracket, a spring between the bracket and the valve for holding thevalve closed, a rod slid-ablyT projecting through the end of the casinginto the stock, a lever pivoted in the casing, disks on the Valve stemand on said rodY with which the lever co-acts, an operating memberslidable in the stock, a trigger in the stock Jfor holding the operatingmember in a release position, and means for actuating the operatingmember When the trigger is pulled to cause the operating member toactuate the rod, lever and Valve stem to open the Valve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM PAUL.

Witnesses:

F. E. PAESLER, O. HARTMANN.

